These mini cheese balls are loaded with flavor, and the perfect addition to any holiday menu. Serve with crackers for a quick and easy, make-ahead appetizer.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
If you’re looking for an elegant but quick and easy appetizer to serve this holiday season, look no further than these Cranberry Nut Goat Cheese Bites.
These festive little cheese balls come together in about 20 minutes, and with the colorful cranberries and parsley, they’re the perfect addition to any Christmas menu.
We started a new tradition in our family a few years ago. Instead of a giant holiday dinner that takes hours (sometimes days) to prepare and about 30 minutes to eat, we just put out a spread of hors d’oeuvres and eat all day long.
It’s so much more relaxing for me–the head chef around here–and honestly, I think we all enjoy eating the selection of yummy appetizers even more than the traditional Christmas dinner.
And since these cheese bites are so easy, and can be made ahead, they often show up on our holiday menu!
Pecans are my favorite nut to use in this recipe, but really you could use almost any finely chopped nuts. Walnuts and almonds are great substitutions.
While these mini cheese balls are delicious on their own, I like to serve them with a selection of crackers or toasted baguette slices. Pretty much the same way you’d serve a traditional cheese ball.
If you have a food processor, that’s the easiest way to finely chop your nuts and cranberries. Finely chopping those ingredients makes coating the goat cheese mixture so much easier.
With the combination of cranberries, nuts and a touch of honey, these little appetizers are the perfect blend of savory, sweet and tangy.
When it comes to holiday entertaining, I’m all about recipes that look fancy, but don’t require a lot of work, and these Cranberry Nut Goat Cheese Bites are simple to make, elegant looking, and delicious!
Be sure to save this recipe to your favorite Pinterest board for later.
Ingredients
- Goat cheese
- Cream cheese
- Spices: cinnamon, salt
- Honey
- Pecans
- Dried cranberries
- Parsley
Cranberry Nut Goat Cheese Bites
Ingredients
- 10 ounces goat cheese
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- Pinch of cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
- 3 tablespoons honey plus more for garnish
- 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
- 1 cup chopped dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- With an electric mixer, beat the goat cheese, cream cheese, cinnamon, salt and honey until light and fluffy.
- In a shallow dish, combine the pecans, cranberries and parsley.
- Roll about 1 tablespoon of the goat cheese mixture into a ball, then roll in the cranberry nut mixture. Repeat with remaining cheese mixture.
- Refrigerate cheese balls until ready to serve. Drizzle with additional honey before serving, if desired
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6 comments
Anne
Curious? How many cheese balls would this make?
Sabrina Evans
These were delicious. Can I freeze them
Danelle
Probably. The thawing cranberries might seep some red coloring, and it will probably change the texture of the cheese somewhat. So the quality will not be as good, but it would be okay. You could definitely make the cheese mixture ahead of time and keep it refrigerated for a week or two.
Jennifer Johnstone
How many balls in a serving?
Danelle
Around two.
Laura
Yum, yum, yum!!! So fantabulous!!!!